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Kosovo Conflict Spurs Adoption Interest -Adoption

Special: Kosovo Conflict Spurs Adoption Interest

Updated: 09/03/99

Concern over the fate of war orphans caught up in this conflict has resulted in a great deal of interest expressed by our visitors in the possibility of adopting from this embattled area.

Please note that according to the U.S. State Department, during this time of conflict, it is not feasible to accurately determine whether or not children have actually been orphaned, or have just been separated from their parents.

The State Department further advises that adoption of Yugoslav children by foreigners is possible only in limited circumstances and that, even during this time of crisis, that policy does not appear to have changed.

If and when policy changes are effected, the State Department will give provide details.

The best way each of us can help is to answer the call for humanitarian assistance. Efforts are underway through several channels.

The International Red Cross has reports from the field on its efforts to help child and adult refugees. Did you know you can help their efforts by playing the Internet Lottery? And you can help the American Red Cross efforts by participating in online auctions!

Additional sites of interest put together by our Editor to enable you to stay up-to-date on the conflict, the state of the children, evacuations, and humanitarian needs:

Crisis Watches

• Children of Conflict from the BBC provides updates and information on how to help through agencies around the world.
  
• boes.org is a multilingual children's rights site covering the WWW maintaining awareness of the Kosovo conflict's effect on children, as well as other international children's rights issues.
  
• Human Rights Watch - Kosovo updates the latest humanitarian needs as the crisis continues.
  
• Nobody's Children was developed by adoptive parents and is an international children's relief organization. If adoption opportunities are developed, this may be the place to inquire.
  
• OneWorld Special Reports offers complete coverage of ongoing developments.
  
• UNICEF has been covering the conflict and the state of the children on its front page, with links to in-depth discussions as more news comes in.

If the situation regarding Yugoslav children available for adoption changes, that information will most likely be announced at one or more of these sites.

International adoption opportunities exist in many areas of the world. For more information, please see:

• International Adoption Information
  
• Discussion Boards where others who share your interest in adopting are discussing a wide variety of topics.

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